Albany schools outline proposed $100 million capital plan that officials say would not raise local property taxes

Albany City School District officials on March 9 unveiled the draft of a broad capital program they say could deliver roughly $100 million in facilities improvements with no new property-tax levy for city residents.

Superintendent Hawk Rider and the district's facilities consultant SEI described a five-pillar plan that pairs an $11.3 million NAERTA grant with energy performance contracting, existing capital reserves and state building aid to fund upgrades across 17 school buildings. The scope includes security vestibules and door monitoring, auditorium and cafeteria upgrades, library and gym enhancements, playground replacements and critical infrastructure work (roofs, HVAC, fire and public-address systems).

Why it matters: district leaders framed the package as an opportunity to address deferred maintenance and equity across student-facing spaces without increasing local property taxes. "We have the opportunity in May to present a capital project to the public that does not increase taxes," Superintendent Hawk Rider told the board.

Funding and sequencing: the NAERTA grant would act as seed money to reduce the district's upfront local share; administrators said the package is structured to maximize state building-aid reimbursement and to use an energy-performance contract to capture long-term savings. SEI noted that some items must be sequenced (design approvals, bid packaging and school-site logistics) and that more complex projects may be deferred to a second phase in a future ballot.

Notable priorities: GIFin Memorial Elementary's auditorium was singled out as an example of a space the district would extensively renovate to achieve parity with other school performance spaces. District staff also emphasized improvements to playgrounds, including drainage and surfacing to increase year-round access, and upgrades to building systems that have caused recent operational disruptions when they fail.

Public process and timetable: staff said the draft investment plan will be published for public comment in early April, with a public hearing tentatively scheduled for April 16 and board approval targeted for April 30 so the district can appear on a May 19 ballot. SEI and district leaders cautioned that final project phasing will be driven by design, bidding and contractor scheduling.

What happens next: the board and facilities committee will continue stakeholder outreach, refine the list of priorities and the construction schedule, and prepare legal and voter materials required for the referendum. If voters approve the proposal, district officials said the earliest major construction activity would begin after state approvals and typical bid cycles, with some work likely starting within 18–24 months.